Table hinge



y 1943- J. L. FIT. ".PATRICK 2,325,132

TABLE HINGE Filed Aug. 5, 1941 IN VENTOR,

J0 H L, ET ATRICK BY @ZZ? ORNEY.

the same,

Patented July 27, 1943 UNlTED. stares mgem-E j 1 2,325,182 7 v TALEHINGE, Joseph L. Fitzpatrick, SanFrancisco, Calif. Application August:5, 1941, Serial No. 405,505

zeit eist (o1.311 '52)' This invention relates to improvements in hingeconstructions and has particular reference to a hinge used inconjunction with tables of the folding type, whereby the leaves of thetable may be quickly brought into operative position. to present an evenalignment of the table leaves, and when collapsed, there is effected asmooth even corner to thus provide a table thatis neat and attractive inappearance when it is in either an open or closed position.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of anintermediate member positioned between and connected to a pair of tableleaves through the medium of my improved hinge construction to thuseffect a ready assembly of the table to an operative or open position,and wherein the leaves are absolutely flat and in alignment, or, on theother hand, to realize, by a raising of theintermediate member, acompact and neat appearance of the table when the latter is 'collapsedor folded.

A further object of; the invention is the provision of a stop element inconjunction with a hinge, whereby the leaves are retained in a verticalposition when the table is collapsed or folded.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a hingeconstructionthat is economical to manufacture, simple in construction,positive in operation, and highly eifective and serviceable in use.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout Fig.1 is a side elevational view of a folding table, showing an intermediatemember located underneath the folding leaves when theleaves are in theiropen position and the position of the new and improved hingeswith'respect intermediate member and leaves;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the table, illustrating theposition of the hinges when the leaves are in their closed position;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the table and hinges, and in thisparticular view the legs are not illustrated;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevational view of the hinge and alsoshowing a portion of a table leaf and the intermediate member indot-anddash outline and illustrating the exact position of the hingewhen the leaf is in its open position; I

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the same elements shown in Fig. 4,illustrating the exact :to said position of the hinge whenclosed-position; and" 1 Fig. disaview of the'hinge shown in Fig. 4,looking in the direction of thearrow-A, and illustrates the extensionthat is provided on the hinge to serveasa stop to hold thetable leafvertically when the latteris in its downward DQsitlOn, as

shown in Fig. 5. V

'In the present invention four hinges are employed, as illustrated toadvantage in Fig. 5;

but since all the hinges are of similar construction, only one will bedescribed. In'the accompanying drawing wherein for the purpose ofillustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will benoted that the hinge per se embodies in its construction a centralcurved body I that has pivotally connected thereto two leaves or fiatside members 8 and 9, the medium for eifecting the connection comprisingpintles Ill and H, respectively. One end of each of the side membersBand a has a male joint,'0ne ofwhich engages with the female jointformed on each end.

of the central curved body I, andthe said joints are adapted to receivethe pintles It and H, thus forming the hinge, as illustrated in Figs. 4,5 and 6. The flat portion of the side member 9 is wider than the flatportion of the side member 8 and has a vertical extension or stop I?that holds the table'leaves in. a vertical position, as shown 3 in Figs.2 and 5, when the table leaves are in their downward position. The saidextension I2 may be of any desired length.

The numeral I4 indicatesan intermediate table leaf that isprovidedunderneath the table leaves i5 andlii and arranged in the center wherethe ends ofthe table leaves i5 and it meet when they are in their openposition, as shown in Fig. l. The table has two standard gates H and I8,

having suitable legs fo supporting the table leaves. The detail of thesegates is not shown, as they are of conventional type. f

The numerals 2i) and 2i designate openings in the'side members 8 and 9respectively to ac- Y commodate suitable nails or screws for fasteningthe side members to the table leaves.

It will be noted thatthe curved body i of the hinge fits over the end ofthe intermediate leaf l4 when the folding leaf is in its open position,

as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and lies directly underneath saidintermediate leaf when'th'e folding leaves arein their closed position,as shown in Figs.'2 and '5. It will be further observed that therelationship between the thickness of the intermediate leaf and thedistance between the the leaves are in their two pintles l0 and H of thehinge is such as to cause a smooth even corner to be formed when thefolding leaf is in its closed position, as shown in Fig. 5.

From the foregoing description, considered in:

connection with the accompanying drawing, it will beobvious that I haveproduced 'a most efficient hinge construction that will have a widefield of use in the furniture industry.

It is to be understood that the iorm of my invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and thatvarious changes relative to the material,

size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit-o? the invention or the scope of the subjoinedclaims. V r V f 1 Having thus described my ii iveiitiom'l claim: r 1. Incombination with a pair of table-leaves,

of an intermediate cross member positioned beportion having pivotalconnection with said end sections for efiecting' a raising and loweringof said intermediate member relative to said table leaves, whereby thebottom surface of the inner portions of said pair of table leaves rests7 directly onto the top surface of the intermediate cross member Whenthe table leaves are in their open position.

' 2. In combination with a pair of table leaves, of an intermediatecross member positioned beheath the innerj'meeting ends' of the tableleaves and a hinge efiecting a connection between the giintermediatecross member and the table leaves,

said hinge comprisingan end section secured to ease intermediate crossmember and an end section securedto a leaf section, stop means carriedby the first-mentioned end section, and a earred cenn ai por'tion havingpivotal connection with said end sections for effecting a raising andlowering of said intermediate member relauti ve togsai'dxt'able leaves..whee'eby the bottom sunface-pf :th'e'inner rpontions -of said "pair oftable leaves rests 'dire'ctiyentothe top surface 25 table leaves are "inof' the intermediate icross member 'whenthe their op'entposi-tion.JOSEPH L. MT ZPATRIQK.

